Broken
by Inferno2572
Summary: Lucy has always been the 'girly-girl', and wants to reset her image for her new high school. However, things don't go to plan when she runs into her middle school crush, Natsu, and all hell breaks loose...
1. Chapter 1

Broken

Chapter 1: Prologue

Lucy's POV

I'm no good when it comes to guys. It became worse after I entered middle school.

They're violent, noisy, and messy in most cases. But among all these guys, there was one who always seemed different...

"Ouch! Watch where you're going!" I cried out, as I was brought back to painful reality. My best friend, Cana, however, just erupted into a fit of laughter. I was about to ask what she found so funny when I looked up to find that the 'someone' I had bumped into was in fact a pole. "You can stop laughing now! It's not that funny..." I snapped, which just made Cana laugh even more. I turned to pout when I caught sight of a group of guys doing rock, paper, scissors. Cana, Juvia and myself stood up and walked over to them.

"Gray-Sama!" Juvia called to the raven haired one, "what are you doing?" Gray looked up and greeted us.

"Hey there, girls. We were just about to start a game of cops and robbers. Wanna join in?"

Juvia, who had a massive crush on the one named Gray, immediately agreed.

Cana soon followed, but I was a little more hesitant. What if they think I joined because HE was playing? What if I made it obvious? Eventually, I decided to try and hide my feelings and just play. I was a robber and so with my group of robbers, we ran away and hid from the cops. I didn't know where to go, and ended up behind a little shed. I panted a little from the running and turned my head to the left. My face turned immediately red. That pink haired idiot that I had somehow fallen for was sat there, a finger on his lips. He had a very serious look on his face, as he turned to the left and looked round the shed. Then he noticed two cops headed in the direction of the shed. He turned to me and told me to be quiet and stay still. All of a sudden, he stood up and ran, soon to be caught by the two cops, Gray and Jellal. I saw him sat peacefully in the 'jail' smiling to himself. He had sacrificed himself for me, and I had to do the same for him. I checked the coast was clear before I made a run for it. I was running straight for him, panting. All I could see was him. I kept running, only him in mind. The next thing I knew, I was sat next to him in the 'jail'.

It was raining. A lot. It was coming down heavier than ever, and it had started all so suddenly. I ran through the street, a book over my hair to shield me from the rain. I kept running until I found shelter under a little ledge by someone's house. I sighed and put the book away in my bag. Suddenly I became aware of another presence. Under the ledge next to mine, a certain pink haired idiot stood there, seemingly calm. Then he looked at me. I turned away as my face began to burn. After a moment, I looked back. I locked eyes with him for just a moment, before he grinned and said 'It came down pretty suddenly, huh?'. I stared at him for a moment and blinked Mavis knows how many times. Then I realised that I must look pretty stupid and replied with 'Y...Yeah...' I looked away again, muttering to myself about what an embarrassment I am to myself when I felt a weight press on my head. I looked up to find what looked like a gym shirt on my head. I looked up, puzzled. He saw the look I had on my face and misinterpreted it. 'Oh, don't worry. I've never worn it before.' I looked at him for a moment, a billion thoughts running through my head about how dense a guy he was, before I just smiled shyly and muttered a 'thank you.' I dried my hair a bit and was about to had his gym shirt back when he looked at his watch. 'Oh god, I'm late! Argh, never mind. See you round!' he called as he sprinted away. 'Wait! You forgot your shirt!' I called after him. But he was already gone.

The next day at school, the whole school was buzzing about the firework festival taking place that night. Guys were asking girls and girls were asking guys to go with them to the festival. Automatically, I felt like an outsider. I knew nothing about these things and, being the 'girly-girl' I was, I tried to avoid any guys when at school (other than HIM of course), leaving me with no one to go with. I considered asking HIM, but decided against it. What good would it do if he said 'no', or worse, if he already had a date... No. It wasn't worth it. I decided that I wasn't going to go to the festival and that was it. I had just reached the classroom door however when I heard a shout. 'LUCY!' I turned round upon hearing my name to come face to face with good old mister pinkie. 'Erm, I... I have a question... To... To ask...' He mumbled.

'Yes?' I asked, curious.

'Will you... You know... Go to the... Erm... Festival with... Err... Me?' He asked nervously, one hand covering his mouth and his eyes facing away. I felt like I could fly! The guy I like just asked me to go to the biggest festival of the year with him! I kept my cool though and smiled brightly. 'Of course I will!' I replied happily. Then he shone a toothy grin and said 'Ok then. Meet me at sankaku park, at 7pm. By the clock!' Then he ran off, his face seemingly dusted a little pink.

Later that day, I was walking happily in the corridor, peacefully, when a group of guys came running from behind me and shoved me to the ground. I got up quickly and stopped them where they were.

'Err... We're sorry miss. Lucy. We didn't mean to hit you like that...' Explained one of them, apologetically. Then I let my anger get the better of me.

'You see?' I shouted, 'This is why I hate all of you guys! You're so disgusting, and misbehaved, and perverted and annoying! I can't believe you all! I wish you guys never existed!' Little did I know that a certain someone had just come out of the toilets on this corridor and heard the whole outrage. He then hung his head low and walked away. 'W-wait! I didn't mean you! This is all a misunderstanding! These guys pushed me, and then-' but by then, it was too late. He was gone...

Sankaku park, 7pm

I stood there in the cold, waiting for him to arrive. I was freezing cold and I had been waiting here since 5 o'clock. I was constantly watching the clock. It was now five past seven, and he wasn't here yet. I decided to give him a little more time. Maybe something came up. I couldn't rush to the conclusion that he wasn't coming just because of that incident earlier on. I leaned against the clock and waited...

Sankaku park, 9pm

After 2 hours of waiting, there was still no sign of the pink-haired devil. I waited and waited until I felt that I could easily fall asleep right there and then. I decided at once that he wasn't coming, and set off home...

That, however, was a long, long time ago...


	2. Chapter 2

Broken

Chapter 2: Memories

Natsu moved during the summer of my first year in middle school before I could properly tell him how I felt.

Even now, he exists in some distant yet private corner of my heart.

Often, I dream of returning to those carefree days...

'Good morning, Lucy!' I looked up and turned to my left to see a short yet cute pink-haired girl making her way towards me.

I laughed at her red, panting face and replied; 'Morning, Meredy.'

At the moment, I am peacefully approaching my third semester of high school, and have two close friends to keep supportive of me throughout my time.

'Here, the book you lent me.'

I was snapped back into reality to see Meredy's extended hand containing a history textbook.

'Oh, yeah! Thanks, I almost forgot.' I replied, awkwardly laughing whilst rubbing the back of my head.

I took the book and crammed it into my already overflowing bag.

'Your bags a mess, as usual.' Mumbled Meredy. 'You know, As a girl, you should care more for appearances...'

Getting advice like that is hard for me. I do this because I _do_ care about appearances. Still, Meredy doesn't know my real reasoning, so I just go along with it for the moment.

'Haha! I guess so!' I replied awkwardly whilst continuing to shove all of the unknown junk contained in my bag to the bottom.

'What're you saying? This is what makes Lucy interesting!' I turned to see Ultear approaching, a girl with long black hair and a white band across it.

Ultear quickly turned and pointed at a short, blue-haired girl. 'Unlike that one over there...' She mumbled.

Meredy nodded in disgust 'Just watch her with those boys over there! That upward glance! Just look at it! It disgusts me...'

I turned to see this girl, who was cutely saying morning to some boys passing her.

Ultear turned to us and replied 'Yeah! Levy McGarden acts really cutesy. Why do guys even like that, anyway?' She continued, 'if you look at her properly, she's not even that cute!'

'Right? It's just the atmosphere. That's it.' Moaned Meredy, as ticking her tongue out childishly.

'You know, you guys look really evil right now...' I mumbled sheepishly.

 _'But still, she doesn't seem to mind being isolated like this. All these people talking behind her back. She must have a really strong heart...'_ I thought to myself.

Me? I'm not ok with it. During my first year of middle school, guys were always chatting about how pretty I was and how calm I behaved. I had lots of friends who liked me because of it.

But in my second year, that's when it happened...

 ** _'Hey, the rest of the girls should follow Lucy's example. They're always squealing about whatever.'_**

 **And suddenly, girls hated me for who I was and how I acted around boys.**

 ** _'Lucy just puts on a cutesy act around guys. She's really just an outsider who doesn't deserve our friendship.'_**

 ** _'Yeah! She's not even cute anyways!'_**

 ** _'I know right? She makes me sick!'_**

Suddenly, I was alone.

And it stayed like that until graduation, and so naturally, I wasn't going to let the chance of changing my image slip away. That's the story behind it. The story behind the creation of a new me!

'Hey guys, let's hurry to the canteen! I'm starved!' I called after Ultear and Meredy. I wasn't really, it was just part of my new get-up. My act.

'Geez, you sure eat well...' Muttered Ultear.

'I know, you're always hungry Lucy!' Replied Meredy.

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. I began to think back again. I was happiest during my first year of middle school. Taking shelter from the rain with Natsu...

'DRAGNEEL!' I flinched at the name and looked up. I saw a tall boy with black hair roughly covering parts of his face. I saw him turn to the caller and reply 'that's Sensei to you.' They began to engage in conversation as he started to laugh and grin with the boy.

'Say, Lucy.' I was jolted back to reality by Ultear's mischievous mumbling. 'Usually never seem interested in guys, but Dragneel-Sensei seems to be getting some notice. Could it be love?'

I blushed and replied quickly with a short, sharp 'No way!'

'So why is he getting your attention then?' A grin forming in her face.

I thought for a moment. 'Probably... Probably because he has the same surname as my first love.'

'HUH!?' I heard Meredy call before clasping a hand over her mouth after realising the attention she had attracted.

'You've been in love?' She whispered, obviously conscientious of their conversation being overheard.

'W-well... Yeah?' I replied sheepishly.

'What was he like?' Pressed Ultear, desperate for information.

'Well, he was short, and reserved I guess...' I replied deep in thought.

'His face! What about his face?' She continued.

'Umm... His face...'

Dragneel-Sensei kinda resembles Natsu... Or maybe that's just me being hopeful.

Still, reacting to sensei's name like that proves that I still can't forget about Natsu.

Ultear just shrugged after I didn't continue, and we continued to walk.

We were almost at the canteen when it hit me. Literally.

'Ah!' Some guy walked into me and my bag flew out of my arms. I desperately tried to grab it before it hit the floor, but he caught it with ease, without even looking.

'Sorry.' He muttered. He handed my bag back and continued walking, waiting just long enough to say 'what a filthy bag...' Before continuing to stroll casually down the corridor.

I was frozen for a minute, letting it sink in...

 _'That guy...'_ I thought for a moment.

 _'Natsu!?'_

 **A/N: So yeah. I'm sorry if this chapter was disappointing and I'm very sorry for the people who have waited aeons for this story, but that's the best I've got. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it, even if I didn't. See you next time,**

 **Inferno.**

 **PS to the guest who asked, yes, this is based off of Ao Haru Ride.**


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